Attention all Knifemakers!.....Product dealers/retailers and/or knife makers/sharpeners/hobbyists (etc) are not permitted to insert business related text/videos/images (company/company name/product references) and/or links into your signature line, your homepage url (within the homepage profile box), within any posts, within your avatar, nor anywhere else on this site. Market research (such as asking questions regarding or referring to products/services that you make/offer for sale or posting pictures of finished projects) is prohibited. These features are reserved for supporting vendors and hobbyists.....Also, there is no need to announce to the community that you are a knifemaker unless you're trying to sell something so please refrain from sharing.
Thanks for your co-operation!

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

ZHEN 296 (12") Gyuto Review

I have had this knife for a few weeks now and have fallen in love with it. Today I had the opertunity to put this knife through a good workout. It all started when our kitchen manager forgot to order some precut red potato's for St. Pat's day (we serve them with our corned beef). I offered to cut 50 lbs. of red's and cook off the 600 brats, and 200 hot dogs we did for a cater out.

I also got to do some tomato's after the potato's for some pico. I had to do these real fast because someone was being impatient, so no fun tomato cuts. The blade was holding up really good until the last tomato. I did 10 of them. The balance is right between the e and S on Japanese Steel.

The small gyuto is really to small for me to use with my hands. I have larger and more agile knives for intricate work.

The last e on Japanese and the s on steel is about were the balance point is located at. I love long gyuto's and chef knives. I don't chop just because I cut the end of my thumb off 20 yrs ago, and never got over it when I go to chop. Put it this way the handle is heaver than the blade its that thin.

I noticed they sell zhen damascus vg10 blade blanks at woodcraft, and other places. I was thinking of handling some of the paring knives as Christmas gifts, maybe with sayas. The paring blanks are around $20-30 I think. Has anyone used those? are they comparable in quality to the finished knives? how is the sharpness OOTB?

I'm also curious about the VG-10 blades sold by Jantz. They don't have any logo, so I don't think they are Zhen. Anybody ever try these? I like the lack of logo. it gives a clean look. Is it possible to remove the enameled zhen logo?